[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9288 of May 29, 2015

African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For centuries, African-American musicians have shaped our Nation and
helped tell our story. By melding enduring truths with new sounds, they
have pioneered entire genres and contributed to the foundation of our
musical landscape--capturing an essential part of who we are as
Americans. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, we
recognize the artists who have enriched our lives and the ways their
beats and harmonies have advanced our unending journey toward a more
perfect Union.
With all the energy and diversity of our great Nation, the stirring
sounds of the American experience have expanded our minds and lifted our
souls, helping us better understand ourselves and one another. When the
tides of injustice and hardship have seemed too great, melodies of hope
have given us strength, and in moments of joy, powerful songs speak to
the audacity that fuels our dreams. Through momentous change--above the
jangling discord of a people determined to write their own destiny and
the consonance of great progress--our music has remained a constant
source of inspiration, bringing us together and empowering us to reach
for what we know is possible.
By honoring the timeless sounds that define our past and help transform
our future, we celebrate not only the musicians who move us, but also
the spirit of resilience and renewal they embody. This month, let

[[Page 3371]]

us remember the essential role music plays in breaking the barriers of
our time and guiding us toward a more inclusive and more equal tomorrow.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2015 as African-
American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public officials,
educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month
with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster
appreciation of music that is composed, arranged, or performed by
African Americans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.
BARACK OBAMA